Centron Teenager Instructional Social Guidance 40 Vintage Films 4 DVDs 8 Hours

Description: Please read & note: This is a Rights holding DVD created & produced by me and is not factory made or sealed. I strive to produce the best DVD's possible from the sometimes VERY old Public Domain material. Films that are public domain are unpreserved and not professionally re-mastered. I re-master all of my films myself to the best possible quality achievable. My DVDs are not the quality of todays Modern DVDs or Bluray discs. If you are looking for this kind of quality then these discs are not for you. Please note this when purchasing, but also know that all of the films are very watchable. All pictures are actual screen captures from the DVDs. To keep my prices as low as possible all my DVDs are delivered in plain paper DVD sleeves and the DVDs title will be labeled on the back of the DVD envelope. This way you can write the contents of the DVD on the DVD yourself if you want to. (See picture). All of my DVD's come with a menu for easy film selection. This is a collection of 41 Centron Instructional Films on 4 DVDs. Total runtime of these 4 DVDs is 8 hours. Item specifics are: Volume 1: Film 1: "Cindy Goes to a Party" (1955) B&W Runtime 9 minutes In this real drop down corker of a movie, Cindy, real tom girl that she is who plays basketball and fishes all day, wonders why she's not invited to Mary's party. She weeps to her mother (who is very strange looking and has no eyebrows) before she goes to bed. That night, her fairy godmother wakes her up and tells her that she's invited to the party, and takes Cindy to the party, while trotting out conformative hints and tips with her wand like "leave on time" and "be a good loser". Soon, the fairy godmother leaves, Cindy cries for her not to leave as she is woken up by her mother, who says that Mary's sister, who's in the bedroom as well, forgot to bring the invitation over. What do you know, she LOOKS like the fairy godmother... A MUST SEE! Film 2: "The Snob" (1958) B&W Runtime 13 minutes Pretty amazing film featuring realistic teenagers, real looking sets, and realistic dialogue and situations. Sarah is a snob.. or is she? She doesn't have many friends, seems to ignore social functions and sticks her nose out to everyone. Sarah's mom sets her up with the nice boy who has parties at his place every weekend, but even that collapses when she makes a scene after refusing to dance. What is triggering all of this? We don't get an answer, which hinders the film a bit, as the film asks us if there was a way she could like people, and I would find such a question difficult to answer without some more background on her character. Nevertheless, this is one of the best Young America films I've seen. Film 3: "Cheating" (1952) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Nice lighting, striking camera shots and great imagery (The shot of the back of Mary's neck is particularly effective) makes 'Cheating' totally worth while. While some of the acting by the supporting cast is a little bad, the leads are great, and make this little film highly recommended. Film 4: "The Bully" (1952) B&W Runtime 10 minutes Chick, leader of a gang (he looks to be 17, the kids, 10-11) threaten to spoil the plans of the other kids in his class's plans for a picnic. The group is stymied over what to do when they come up with an ingenious plan! A VERY puzzling film which features almost grown up adults being threatened by wimpy looking 10-12 year olds who look so thin, one wonders how much damage they can do. The plans they come up with to disrupt the picnic (dumping mud on the table! Setting off firecrackers!) seem ludicrous but just the thought of this terrify the older folk. Film 5: "The Other Fellow's Feelings" (1951) B&W Runtime 8 minutes One of the worst and best films Centron ever made, and you know what that means. Bad acting, a ludicrous plot and strange camera angles. Judy is asked a question by her teacher, when all of a sudden, she breaks down and cries! Why did this happen? We flash back to what happened that fateful day. It seems that Judy received some perfume that she liked. Then in a scene that is so awkwardly staged it becomes fitfully funny, we see Judy's back to the camera AND blocking the door, when Jack crashes into her, the perfume breaks on the floor. Jack tries to help Judy clean up, but when Jack smells the perfume, he goes "eww stinky!" The teacher then walks in, but instead of helping Judy.. SHE WALKS PAST HER! HAHAHAHA! Jack continually pesters Judy about being sticky, even posting a sign on her back! This drives Judy over the edge, and she breaks down. What could Judy have done? Ignore him? Or, as the film straight facedly suggests, without any regret, REVENGE? Why, you decide! A MUST SEE! Film 6: "The Outsider" (1951) B&W Runtime 12 minutes Poor Susan Jane, the girl with the serious parting of the hair JUST can't seem to fit in! You see, she's convinced that everyone is talking about her behind her back! The funny thing is, that they ARE, they're wondering how they can be friends with her! Marcie, the team leader it seems, plans a party, and wants to invite Susan Jane, but because of a misunderstanding, Susan Jane thinks they want to invite her to laugh at her! LOL! Marcie comes over to talk with Susan Jane, but when she gets there, she talks to Susan Jane's mom first. The scene is so badly constructed that Marcie somehow talks to Susan Jane's Mom's chest. Pretty soon, everything's resolved, thank goodness. Film 7: "The Procrastinator" (1952) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Another amazing production put forth by my favorite teen guidance film maker, Young America films! In this film Jean procrastinates putting off everything, and she's in charge of her school social committees and parties! Her parents and school principal goes after her, but she doesn't listen, and it all winds up horribly, with the students coming down on her harshly. The actress playing Jean is alright, but special bonus points go out to the actress playing her Mother, who seems to put a comma after every two words, her enunciation is bizarre. And the actor playing Jim, who looks EXACTLY like the boy pal Cindy has in Cindy Goes To A Party.. Same voice, same inuncations. But, this was made 4 years earlier then that classic film. I'm at a loss to explain this. Highly recommended! Film 8: "The Show-Off" (1954) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Let's follow Farm-twanged Kay Reynolds and her class as they get branded as trouble all because of one student, Jim Baldwin! He's always getting in trouble with his teacher for interrupting classes, and causing her headaches. It soon gets personal with the gang too, as Jim breaks one of the kid's parents glasses in a party! ("My best china!"), soon they're a menace 2 society by, horrors, putting up an illegal sign on the school! Film 9: "The Trouble Maker" (1959) B&W Runtime 12 minutes Skulking about the shadows of Generic High School there is a cancer... Mel, the class troublemaker. Spreading rumors, half-truths and outright lies, Mel tries to make himself popular at the expense of others, and can't understand why the others regard him like toe fungus. Particularly funny is the scene where Mel tells Dean, the star quarterback, how much he admires him, which comes off as a big, big crush. Ends, of course, with the classic Centron question mark. Film 10: "What About Juvenile Delinquency?" (1955) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Hyper acting Jamie goes out to meet his hoodlum gang at the malt shop, (their insignia looks to me like the Flash Gordon symbol). When he gets there, he finds out that the gang jumped his Dad on the way over to the shop! With Anger, Jamie rips off the patch and resolves never to join the teen gang again! That's good, because it just so happens that the city hall is trying to bar the kids from doing anything because of all this violence. The other clean cut kids try to convince Jamie to come, the gang says he better think twice about doing something like that.. as if the City Hall will prevent them from continuing being hoodlums. What will Jamie do? Volume 2: Film 11: "A Day of Thanksgiving" (1951) B&W Runtime 12 minutes An American family unable to afford a Thanksgiving turkey reviews the things for which they feel thankful. This patriotic film is unusual in that it does not link freedom and happiness with the pursuit of wealth. Produced with nonprofessional actors in Lawrence, Kansas. This film is good and it actually won a film award in 1951. Dan Palmquist plays Bill Johnson, a mechanic and a bit of a bum (you might remember him from "Speech: The Function of Gestures"), and the basic theme (behind the actual plot) is some McCarthyesque rhetoric designed to persuade kids to be thankful for things other than the turkey. Great film for '51, recommended, especially for Centron fans. Film 12: "Other People's Property" (1951) B&W Runtime 10 minutes Excellent 1951 instructional film about property damage. Probably made a lot of that generation who saw the film think. Well acted, directed, and filmed. Hardcore Frank leads a criminal gang on a payback mission. But when they find out that their stink bomb not only required a repainting of the classroom, but also disturbed the drama club's dress rehearsal, they realize they've gone too far. Film 13: "The Gossip" (1955) B&W Runtime 13 minutes Another amazing Centron production, who are seriously rivaling Coronet in the production of looney Social Guidance films. In The Gossip, Jean almost has the nomination of Pep Club President (!!) in the bag. All that is needed is Laura to do a background check on her. That's when the skullduggery comes in. A couple of mean girls see to it that Laura overhears a couple of untrue nasty rumors about Jean. Even though Jean and Laura are best friends, she tends to believe the gossip, and gives Jean a failing grade for the possibility of Pep Prez. Confronting Laura, Jean complains to Laura.. How could she do this to her? And of course, the film brings up the big question mark... What would you do? Highly recommended! Film 14: "Health: Your Cleanliness" (1953) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Importance of cleanliness in fields of science & medicine as protection against disease. Washing hands, bathing, showers, brushing teeth & hair, care of skin, eating proper foods, drinking water, caring for clothes as desirable habits. Pretty fanatical film about the importance of being clean. Now, when I mean CLEAN, I mean, clean those nails every day! Girls wash your hair once every week! Brush your teeth slowly! etc etc etc. Oddly filled with happy go lucky boys just thrilled to have a shower or a bath, which adds to the strangeness of it all, this Young America production adds to that the military instruction on being clean, or else you will die! Film 15: "Health: Your Posture" (1953) B&W Runtime 10 minutes When a young girl has a psychotic break leading to confrontations with herself in a mirror, what's needed is antipsychotic medication, not posture coaching. This film takes a swan-dive off the deep end (with no water) and appears to be darn proud of it. This mindless romp through the implausible is delightfully bizarre. Film 16 "The Good Loser"(1953) B&W Runtime 13 minutes Another strange film by Centron (the people who brought you (Cindy Goes To A Party). This film at first centers around Ray, who is the leader of the public speaking club. He is asked to train a new girl into the club. He does so. He does it so well as a matter of fact that she wins a school competition and Ray comes in second. Ray doesn't take this well. He is not talking to her anymore. He needs to be a good loser! (which was, coincidentally, brought up in Cindy Goes To A Party as well). The film ends with the audience deciding whether Ray is a good loser or something, as a huge question mark is superimposed smack on his head, to let the class figure out what to do. Highly recommended! Film 17 "What About School Spirit?"(1958) B&W Runtime 12 minutes Jim takes his cousin Sally to the local soda shop so that she can find out all about why Lawrence High School has such tremendous school spirit. The reason, one Bob Corby, who, at a school pep rally rallies the troops to no end. But oh no! Bob Corby soon gets sick, and the school team rallies around this, winning the championship for Bob! We can thank our school spirit thanks to Bob! But wait a minute! In an interesting turn of events, Sally said that Bob didn’t have everything to do with the school’s mood upswing! You did it by yourself! Film 18 "Why Study Home Economics?"(1955) B&W Runtime 9 minutes Janice and Carol are two teens discussing whether their inexorable futures of homemaking require Home Economic classes. These two are not exactly Susan B. Anthony. Not that Miss Jenkins, the hypnotically friendly Home Economics teacher, is Gloria Steinem either. I would recommend watching this immediately after "The Stepford Wives" as a nice video chaser. Film 19 "Why Study Science?"(1955) B&W Runtime 11 minutes The film opens with two figures on darkening lake fishing. It then transitions to a big sound stage, where Jack, Betty and their family start to talk about why they should study science. While some the reasons given still need to be emphasized today (to enhance general knowledge, to be able to interact and understand technology), there is also healthy dose of the 1950s ambivalence of science and gender roles. While they are wondering that going to the moon will be in their lifetime (the father wisely predicts "sooner than you think"), they also worry about using science for ill. When Betty questions why she should take science courses since she bluntly states that she wants to "hook a man", her mother tries to convince her by saying that science courses will help with meal planing and answering children's questions. About three-quarters of the way into the film, there is a rather odd shift as Betty and Jack look to the stare at the stars, a narrator kicks in and starts to re-numerate all the reasons. He also pitches in a few enticements ("You get to go on field trips!"). Film 20: "Speech: Stage Fright and What to Do About It" (1949) B&W Runtime 9 minutes This was the first title in Centron's "Speech" series and it sold well in 1949. Fred Strong is walking down the street, minding his own business, when the "high-powered chairman" of the luncheon club walks up and "asks" Fred if he'd like to give a speech to the club about his trip to Alaska. The reason I put "ask" in quotation marks is because Fred doesn't really have a choice to decline or accept. So, Fred is just plain scared and nervous about the Thursday on which the speech is taking place. He can't eat, sleep, or read. The day comes, and Fred is a disaster --- but we don't see the speech. But, the narrator takes Fred back before the day of the speech and asks him what he is afraid of. Is he afraid that there will be a snake on the stage? Is he afraid that he will fall off the platform? Or is he afraid that a person in the audience will stand up and take a pot-shot at him? No! He is afraid of himself. So now the narrator tells Fred some of the things that will help be less-nervous and give a better speech. Things such as planning your talk (a subject for a separate "Speech" film) and building up your self-confidence. Yes, and Fred gets to do the Thursday over again, and this time his speech is good, and he is congratulated by the narrator and the luncheon club. Volume 3: Film 21: "What About Drinking?" (1954) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Susan answers the phone at the swinging party they’re having and finds out that 2 of their classmates were drunk and hit a pedestrian with their car. Instead of reacting with horror, the Kansas kids say, "Gosh", in probably one of the worst acting I’ve ever seen. This soon spills into a conversation about the demon liquor, some kids, like Sally, insist alcohol is the root of all evil, and then there’s Ted who, in a sudden burst of over-actitis, starts talking a storm about why he’s in favor of teen drinking. Make sure you catch the flashback scene with Jack and his Dad when Dad says, with tears almost in his eyes, "a drink before dinner in the evening is just about the best thing I know of to settle your nerves and give you an appetite." HUH?? This is a MUST see!! Film 22: "Discipline During Adolescence" (1958) B&W Runtime 16 minutes This is sort of a Centron "discussion film" for parents (though it was not made by Centron). Steve’s parents are worried about him because he’s been staying out late every night, neglecting his schoolwork, and generally having a bad attitude about things. Steve’s mom, amazingly enough, wants to deal with this by ignoring it, because this tactic worked with the teenaged son of one of her friends. Steve’s dad is all for punishment, but he decides to try it Mom’s way after she talks him into it. Unfortunately, Steve’s behavior just gets worse, so Dad steps in and lays down the law, grounding Steve for a week and cutting off his allowance. This means Steve can’t take his girlfriend to the big school dance, an end-of-the-world outcome for a 50s teen. So, while the narrator asks us what we think about Steve’s parents, we see Steve looking at the want ads, obviously in preparation for leaving home. Steve’s parents portray the simplistic parenting extremes of total lenience vs. unfairly harsh discipline, but I think that’s supposed to be the point. The fact that it’s more complex than that is strongly implied, making this a more intelligent film than I was expecting. Of course, it would only really be valuable if intelligent discussion and guidance followed, which is not always how educational films were used. The film’s portrayal of 50s teen life is appealingly corny. Film 23: "Responsibility" (1953) B&W Runtime 13 minutes Teaching teenagers to come up with their own sense of responsibility. "Responsibility" is well acted, directed, and filmed, but this 1953 script is too moralistic. Hank had some responsibility but not enough at times. Tale told of one Hank Evans, popular, good looking, and with a curious hairdo. He seems to coast through life on his looks and his passable education.. but all of this comes to a head when he's not making the grade in school! Why he doesn't redo his algebra, he skips the reading assignments and gets stage fright during the debate finals! Even though all of this happens, he still gets nominated for class president and runs against his friend, who of course, is smarter, less sure etc. Who will win?? It's a tie! Principal Gordon, who has been narrating all throughout states that the election will be decided by this one absentee ballot.. Who would YOU vote for? Film 24: "What About Prejudice?" (1959) B&W Runtime 11 minutes This film deals with prejudice-Since they never actually show the individual it is directed to, you don't know if is racial, religious, or ethnic. In 1959, there was plenty of it to go around ( unfortunately, just as it still is today). Film 25: "Cooking: Terms and What They Mean" (1949) B&W Runtime 10 minutes A corny film but I loved it anyway. Margie, a new bride, ruins her first chocolate cake because she doesn't know the meaning of basic cooking terms like "stir" and "boil." Fortunately, the narrator explains all of these terms to her, and consequently she gets to bake a new cake before her husband comes home, so he never learns of her first cooking disaster. But there are many meals to come, and if Margie is that clueless, disaster in the kitchen is only a matter of time. This is a cute, charming home economics film that says more about the gender roles of the time than it does about cooking. It would have been better, I think, if Margie had been allowed to talk, but still, her facial expressions are priceless. And the food, as expected, looks uniformly terrible (we’re talking the successful dishes). There’s even cheesy organ music in the opening and closing, though this is certainly not a Brighter Day in Your Kitchen. Highly recommended. Film 26: "Understanding Others" (1959) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Argues that a person should be judged by his/her true worth and ability, rather than by economic background or social skills. Seeing things from other people's perspective is a special gift that can really shape individuals and a society for the better. This old film does a great job with showing how it can effect your understanding of other people. Film 27: "How to Use Classroom Films" (1963) B&W Runtime 14 minutes Overview on how to exactly choose your film for your class. Goodness! You mean, you just don't look at a title? No no no! You must consult the librarian, read catalogs, read the overview, read recommendations, and also to try to view the film yourself! On the plus side though, the classroom is set up well. Most especially the writing on the chalkboard. Who can write like that except a stenographer? Film 28: "A Citizen Makes a Decision" (1954) B&W Runtime 17 minutes Slightly odd docu-drama about one Homer Keith, and the decision he has to make about (I think) what should be done with the river because of the flooding that happened. Hi gut feeling was to dam the thing, but after talking to people, going to wild meetings (check out the growling speech the pro-dam person spurts out) and talking to his son, he's un decisive, saying he'll vote for the person he believes will solve the problem best, Which is odd because I thought it was a Dam yes/dam no vote. All of these people are consulted, but curiously, women are given the brush over from Homer. Even his wife doesn't get an opinion about the vote, it almost appears that she's not going to vote anyways because, well, who's listening to her anyways? Film 29: "The Speech: Function of Gestures" (1950) B&W Runtime 9 minutes Dan Palmquist plays George Johnson, a.k.a. "Old Stone Face", a bad speechmaker who makes his audience want to be somewhere else. Why? Because he bores everybody stiff. Or, more plainly, he doesn't use gestures (and he also gives a lame speech on how some people of Africa are very short while others are very tall). Then there is John, a GOOD speechmaker because he uses gestures. He was played by Herk Harvey, who also directed this film (and over 400 other Centron shorts). 12 years later he would also direct the cult classic horror film "Carnival of Souls". The differences between George and John are explained throughout the film, while strange animations of George's body and mind wrapped around in rope and an extra arm growing out of his head are shown. The narrator goes on to say that even speakers like George gesture naturally in conversation in familiar surroundings, like with his wife. The strangest part is near the end of the film where the narrator tells us that it wasn't aimed at a general audience but at George himself to correct his speaking habits. But George still doesn't perfect gestures, as he is drunk in the end (I think). Highly recommended! Volume 4: Film 30: Bicycle Safety (1950) B&W Runtime 9 minutes Centron bicycle safety film containing rules, rules, and more rules for riding your bike. There are a few amusing moments of examples of what not to do, and the overall environment is very representative of 50s suburbia. Film 31: Buying Food (1950) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Made for home economics class, this is a primer on sensible food shopping. We learn to read canned food labels and get a glimpse at the mysterious grading system for various foods (and may understand why food grades are no longer advertised unless they are Grade A). Many of this films messages are still poignant today, especially since supermarkets are designed to encourage impulse buying. Film 32: Choosing a Classroom Film (1963) B&W Runtime 19 minutes Illustrates the purposes of educational films and the standards by which to appraise them. Film 33: Electromagnets (1950s) B&W Runtime 10 minutes Explains the theory of electromagnetism by building slowly from a simple bar magnet to a completed electromagnet made from simple home materials. Film 34: Fences and Gates (1970s) COLOR Runtime 25 minutes Takes a look at modern economics as it documents the efforts of a group of young musicians who are unable to achieve financial success. Presents basic economic concepts in the form of real-life situations. Dramatizes a real economic case by actual members of a jazz-rock music band. Depicts its struggle to break into national popularity played against the real world problems of making a profit and surviving as a group. Film 35: Halloween Safety Educational Film (1970s) COLOR Runtime 11 minutes Halloween Safety Educational Film. Film 36: How To Take A Test (1956) B&W Runtime 9 minutes Summarizes techniques of preparing for and taking examinations. Film 37: I Like Bikes... (1970s) COLOR Runtime 13 minutes It features odd animation, synched music, and an annoying narrator who conducts the whole affair en verse. And as a bonus, the title cards that pop up during the movie (STOP and WATCH OUT) look a lot like subliminal messaging. Film 38: Manners in School (1959) B&W Runtime 11 minutes Larry is a great rude kid who doesn't follow anyone's instructions on how to be a good boy, but when a chalk figure he has drawn comes to life, he's scared silly and agrees to do whatever Chalky says. Film 39: None for the Road: Teenage Drinking and Driving (1957) B&W Runtime 14 minutes Hybrid nonfiction/fiction film showing experiments with alcohol-addled rats, plus a story of teenagers who die while DUI. Film 40: Speech: Platform Posture and Appearance (1949) B&W Runtime 9 minutes This public speaker's training film is all about how you will be judged on your appearance. Examples of people with dorky posture and appearance are held up for thinly-veiled ridicule. What's amazing is that the guy advocating "lip and tongue action" in Speech: Using Your Voice is twice used as a bad example! Don't forget the "knee test"! All films released 1949 to 1970. All Films Entered Public Domain 1978 to 1998. All the films on this DVD have been researched and are copyright free or the copyrights have expired due to non renewal.

Price: 10.44 USD

Location: West Terre Haute, Indiana

End Time: 2024-08-12T16:17:28.000Z

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